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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23326210">Sentiment</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elisexyz/pseuds/Elisexyz'>Elisexyz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Used to [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Once Upon a Time (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Gen, Season/Series 03, Strained Relationships, Talking</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 16:34:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>792</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23326210</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elisexyz/pseuds/Elisexyz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“So — you remembered.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Baelfire | Neal Cassidy &amp; Captain Hook | Killian Jones</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Used to [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1683076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Sentiment</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedTailedHawkens/gifts">RedTailedHawkens</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>...you tempted me. And I have zero self-control. So you do get Neal and Hook talking LOL, enjoy!<br/>
<br/>
This is a follow-up to the first one-shot in this series, which obviously provides the context. But basically it's Neal digging up, per Emma's request, his old habit of telling the stories behind constellations to help them fall asleep. Those stories he learned from Hook, who is listening and has a bit of a "WTF" moment.<br/>
So this fic has them talk about it as they are leaving Neverland.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Killian hasn’t exactly been keeping a close eye on him, but — the urge to ask <em>has</em> been lurking in the back of his mind in every quiet moment, all too insisting for what is supposed to be such an irrelevant matter.</p><p>So he remembered one of his stories, what of it?</p><p>It <em>is</em> surprising, considering that they didn’t leave each other on anywhere nearly amicable terms, so even if he somehow remembers it, after a couple of centuries, <em>why</em> would he so easily recall it, like it’s a fond memory?</p><p>It’s — it’s <em>curiosity</em>, that’s what it is.</p><p>Regardless of that curiosity, though, they haven’t spent much time around each other, not without more important matters to tend to, so the occasion to ask doesn’t present itself until Baelfire makes his way to the deck, leaning over the edge to take a look at the island that they are leaving behind.</p><p>(Killian’s legs twitch, and he can still hear himself shout at him that if he were to fall overboard he’d leave him for the fish to dine with.)</p><p>“Fucking finally,” Baelfire breathes out, turning back towards him. He walks closer. “Do you need me to take a turn?”</p><p>It takes a few moments for Killian to even realize that he’s talking about taking the helm, but then he’s quick to shake his head. “No, I got it.”</p><p>“Alright,” Baelfire shrugs, moving as if to walk past him.</p><p>Which would probably be the right moment to —</p><p>“So — you remembered.”</p><p>It’s out of his mouth before he has even tried to come up with a better way to start that conversation, and he barely represses a wince at what a bad starter it is.</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Baelfire doesn’t seem to understand. “Sorry?” he frowns.</p><p>At least he doesn’t seem intent on going anywhere now, so there is no hurry.</p><p>“The story,” he explains then. “The, mmh, the one that you told Emma, before?” he adds, gesturing vaguely in front of them. “It was one of mine.”</p><p>Baelfire takes a breath, nodding slowly as he crosses his arms. “Yeah, well, you do have a talent for making shit up.”</p><p>Killian snorts. “Touché.”</p><p>Silence falls for a few moments.</p><p>Killian clicks his tongue, deciding that the best course of action is probably not looking at him directly.</p><p>“Shall I take that as a sign that you no longer want me impaled on a sword?” he tries, and bloody hell it sounds a little too undignified.</p><p>(The last time that he gave that boy too much rope he strangled him with it.)</p><p>“Well, I <em>can</em> appreciate your storytelling abilities <em>and</em> not like you as a person,” Baelfire muses, though his smile and light tone don’t make it sound meanspirited at all. “But yeah,” he adds then. “I guess I appreciate you joining the rescue party and all. Thanks.”</p><p>Killian nods, fighting to restrain the enormous grin forming on his face. “My pleasure,” he says, casually.</p><p>Call him insane, but it feels good to be appreciated, every now and then.</p><p>Baelfire studies him for a moment, shifting his weight from one foot to the other before finally saying: “Since we are reminiscing here — you’ve kept my stuff.”</p><p>“I’ve kept what?” he echoes, though he’s confident he knows what he’s talking about. The cutlass he at least had a solid excuse to keep – why would he throw away a perfectly good weapon? Not that he ever really used it, but Baelfire doesn’t need to know that –, but that robe — that’s awfully incriminating, and he almost regrets starting this conversation.</p><p>Baelfire raises his eyebrows, unamused. He eloquently gestures in the direction of the young girl currently wearing said robe – because she was <em>cold</em> and Killian is an idiot who doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut; he could have given her something of his, instead he had to confess to having something that would fit her.</p><p>“It’s a nice robe,” he declares, chin up in an attempt at somehow saving face.</p><p>Judging by the way that Baelfire is all but laughing at him, it isn’t working.</p><p>“I can’t imagine it’d fit anyone on your crew,” he points out, amused.</p><p>Killian isn’t sure if he’s more tempted to strangle him or jump off deck himself to avoid this conversation.</p><p>“You never know,” he says, shrugging.</p><p>Baelfire snorts. “Yeah, right.” He pauses, staring at him with amusement that, with the aid of a bit of wishful thinking, could be mistaken for fondness. “You really are sentimental.”</p><p>“I —” Killian wants to protest, but that would only sound defensive and incriminating, so eventually he just shakes his head, letting his eyes drift away as he mutters: “Shut up.”</p><p>When Baelfire laughs, it feels like he has finally taken a step in the right direction.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This story is part of the <a href="https://longlivefeedback.tumblr.com/llfcommentproject">LLF Comment Project</a>, which was created to improve communication between readers and authors. This author invites and appreciates comments, including:
</p>
<ul>
<li>Short comments</li>
<li>Long comments</li>
<li>Questions</li>
<li>“&lt;3” as extra kudos</li>
<li>Reader-reader interaction</li>
</ul><p>If you don’t want a reply, for any reason, feel free to sign your comment with “whisper” and I will appreciate it but not respond!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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